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In Sunday School last week, we had a lively discussion about what we could do to bring about a society where "there are no poor" (this being one of the hallmarks of what Latter-day Saints call a "Zion society"). I suggested that, when it came to the homeless, "we could get up off our fat testimonies, cough up some cash, and feed them."

This certainly seemed to be your idea, kind sir.--feeding them, and also helping them feel like wanted and honored people at Christmastime. I don't know who you are. I don't know what, if anything, you believe in. But I hope you will not be offended when I say that this is one of the most kind acts of pure religion that I have heard of in a while. God bless you, sir.﻿

The review by Ryan and JS shows a disappointing ignorance of the biblical story itself:

--The reviewers dwell on the rumor that destroying angels are supposedly in the script but not the teaser, the omission supposedly being to avoid alienating the "core Christian audience." The idea of destroying angels is thoroughly biblical, as we can see in the biblical story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, described in the Bible as occurring about ten generations after Noah's time (Genesis 19:1-22). Although destroying angels are not specifically mentioned in relation to Noah's flood, it's simply not much of a stretch to include them, if Aronofsky makes that part of the film. (Incidentally, I don't think Aronofsky made _Noah_ with a "core Christian audience" in mind any more than he made Pi with a "core kabbalists audience" in mind, or Requiem for a Dream with a "core hard-core druggie audience" in mind, or Black Swan with a "core ballet audience" in mind. It is part of Aronofsky's genius that he finds the drama and humanity in exotic situations and brings them to bear on concerns that all people can identify with.)

--JS makes a big deal about the idea that the angels supposedly in the film are "from another planet ... alien angels." Of course the angels would come from somewhere off the Earth. Where would Ryan expect them to come from? Olympic Park?

--The legend of the Watchers is ancient and has biblical roots. The Watchers in the film (if they indeed appear there) likely would be angels sent to watch over the people of Earth, as detailed in the apocryphal Book of Enoch (purportedly written by the prophet Enoch, described in the Bible as Methuselah's father / Noah's great-grandfather). Some say that the biblical "Sons of God" who took wives of human women in Noah's day (Genesis 6:2, 4) were these Watchers.

--There is nothing in the Noah story that cries out for the "R" rating treatment. Yes, there is great violence in the society that surrounds Noah. But the whole point of Noah's life was to avoid being contaminated by that violence, and be righteous enough to be worthy to save human and animal life. What the Methuselah character in the film (Anthony Hopkins) says to Noah (Russell Crowe) in the trailer is spot on: "Remember, Noah: He [G-d] chose you for a reason."﻿

This is so very, extremely wrong on so many levels..First of all, Carlson says that "3, 5, 8" are the first three numbers of the Fibonacci sequence. So not true! The sequence begins "0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8 ...": Carlson has to completely ignore the true first four numbers of the Fibonacci sequence to make his plan work..Second, Carlson claims that "3, 5, 8" is the numerical equivalent of the Hebrew word nachash (nun-chet-shin), which means "serpent." The letters nun, chet, and shin respectively have the numerical equivalents of 50, 8, and 300, so the word nachash has the numerical equivalent, not of 3, 5, and 8, but of 358. For Carlson's scheme to work, the letters of nachash would have to have the numerical equivalents of 3, 5, and 8--which they clearly don't!! (The numerals for 3, 5, and 8 would be the Hebrew letters gimel, heh, and chet.).These are the major errors I noted in the first 29 seconds alone of this video (3 x 8 + 5). I just couldn't watch any more.﻿

With enough details available, it is always possible to find some kind of strained connection between any incident in the real world--Paul Walker's lethal accident, the change you got at the Stop n' Shop, my birthday-and connect it to some kind of "occult" or "kabbalistic" significance. This is not far from a sort of thought disorder. What is horrifying is that this kind of thinking is used by all sorts of demagogues to further their political agenda.﻿

Business research consultant. Social science researcher. Futurist. Scholar. Developer of new business concepts.

Skills

Research. Statistics. Development of new business concepts. Psychometric research. Futurism. Analysis of social trends. Teaching. Theory development. Writing. Psychotherapy and counseling. Clinical assessment. Public presentations and media appearances.

Employment

Clarity Business Intelligence and Research Company

Director of Research, 2000 - present

I help organizations define their research questions, and then go on to design and conduct that research, analyze the data, and interpret it in plain-English terms for the client, emphasizing next steps that can be taken to meet the client's goals.
I help organizations to develop winning proposals for external funding. I also act as primary investigator for externally funded research projects.
I develop ideas for new businesses that stand at the intersection of commerce, social science, and software engineering.

At the Sunset Terrace outpatient mental health clinic, provided individual and group psychotherapy, and assessment/testing services, to a multicultural population of inner-city clients in one of the largest outpatient mental health clinics in New York City, over 40 hours weekly. Fulfilled specialty placements in multicultural psychology research, and in treatment of adolescent sex offenders and their families.

Manhattan Psychiatric Center

Predoctoral Intern in Psychology, 1994 - 1995

Provided individual, group, and family psychotherapy, assessment, and testing services to a multicultural population of inner-city inpatients in the psychiatric hospital of last resort for Manhattan, over 40 hours weekly. Fulfilled specialty placement in treatment of dissociative identity disorder (more popularly known as "multiple personality disorder").

Implemented office automation at this, one of the largest advertising agencies in the world at the time. Taught use of office automation software. Developed specialized database systems for various niches within the agency. Developed what is believed to be the first white paper on the potential application of artificial intelligence within the advertising industry

Computer Services Kabushiki Kaisha (CSK)

Marketing Manager, 1982 - 1983

Brokered international exchanges within the IBM second-market equipment. Marketed software developed at the home office of this large Tokyo firm, Conpyutaa Saabisu Kabushiki Kaisha (CSK).

Time Equities, Inc.

Consultant to the Chief Financial Officer, 1981 - 1982

Served as consultant to the CFO, helping this firm to move from paper- to computer-based record keeping and reporting.

Professional Services Group, Inc.

Director of Research, 2000 - 2008

As director of research at PSG, I served as principal investigator on several projects funded by various agencies within the U.S. Department of Defense:
• Psychiatric Screen: Conducted item development and validation research with 600+ participants to develop a 5-scale screen for major psychiatric disorders.
• Attentional Enhancement: Developed specifications to use neurofeedback technology to enhance normal human attentional capacity.
• Cognitive Assessment: Developed specifications for a screen to assess cognitive dysfunction among personnel in the field.
• Adaptive Aircraft Display: Developed specifications for an aviation pilot display incorporating fuzzy signal detection technology.
• Job Simulation: Developed the technical specifications for a computer simulation for use in assessment for personnel selection.

Business research consultant. Social science researcher. Futurist. Scholar. Developer of new business concepts. Clinician. Educator. Writer. Media Personality.

Introduction

Below, you will find links to:

my homepage and some other pages focused on me or my work (IMDb, YouTube);

my blogs;

some significant articles and papers of mine;

awards announcements.

You'll also find a biographical note.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Jeremy P. Tarcher (a division of Penguin Books) released my book Freemasonry: An Introduction in January 2011.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Mark Koltko-Rivera has a multifaceted career encompassing business, scholarship, science, and media.

He serves as Director of Research at Clarity Business Intelligence and Research Company, in which capacity he helps businesses to discover ways to improve their function and profitability through research.

Dr. Koltko-Rivera is an elected Fellow of the American Psychological Association, three divisions of which have presented him with awards for his scientific and scholarly work. He has published significant scholarship regarding the psychology of worldviews, the psychology of religion, and humanistic psychology, as well as regarding Mormonism, and Freemasonry.

He writes in the areas of psychology, social issues, and religion and spirituality, which areas he has studied for many years.

Dr. Koltko-Rivera blogs about the ethical, moral, and spiritual implications of events in the spheres of politics, science, and technology. He also comments on instances where publicly reported statistics are misunderstood, especially in contexts where this has implications for public policy.

He is a graduate of Haverford College, Fordham University, and New York University. Dr. Koltko-Rivera has taught statistics, counseling skills, and other courses at New York University, the University of Central Florida, and Hartford Seminary.

Mark was born in 1956, and was raised on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York City. He has lived for significant periods of time in central Florida and Japan. He now resides in Manhattan. He is both a Latter-day Saint (a "Mormon") and a Freemason.

Bragging rights

Fellow of the American Psychological Association. Delivered papers before a NATO conference an anti-terrorism.

Education

New York University

PhD: Counseling Psychology, 1985 - 2000

Fordham University

MS in Ed: Counseling, 1981 - 1984

Haverford College

BA: Psychology, 1974 - 1978

Regis High School (New York, NY)

1970 - 1974

Basic Information

Gender

Male

Looking for

Friends, Networking

Relationship

Married

Other names

Mark Rivera, Mark Koltko

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